The battle to end Washington, D.C.’s controversial school voucher program is entering a critical phase.

A little background: The plan, pitched as an “experiment,” was initially authorized in 2004 for five years. Heavily promoted by the Bush administration, it passed the House of Representatives by a single vote six years ago on a night when many voucher opponents were away from the floor. Republicans held the vote open for more than 40 minutes to gather the necessary votes. It later cleared the Senate only as a result of a procedural move.

Sixty-two years ago today, the U.S. Supreme Court held that “released time,” a program whereby public schools set aside class time for on-campus religious instruction, violated the constitutional separation between church and state.

The 1948 decision, McCollum v. Board of Education, was a landmark in application of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause to church-state violations occurring in the public schools.

On Feb. 24, a tragedy occurred at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla. A six-ton killer whale known as Tillikum pulled trainer Dawn Brancheau underwater to her death in front of a crowd of horrified spectators watching a show.

Brancheau’s tragic death has led to some soul searching: What should be done with Tillikum? Is it ever appropriate to keep killer whales (also known as orcas) in captivity? Is it right to expect these animals to perform for our amusement?

The issue of prayer before government meetings continues to generate controversy around the country. Yesterday I mentioned a flap in Sevier County, Tenn., where members of the Board of Commissioners routinely open their meetings with the Lord’s Prayer.

This Saturday (Feb. 27) the Upstate South Carolina County Chapter is holding an event featuring Robert Moss and George Daly, starting at 12 Noon.

Robert Moss and his attorney George Daly will discuss their lawsuit which has reached the Federal Courts on allowing academic credit for Bible study in the state of South Carolina. Mr. Moss has a daughter that attends high school in Spartanburg, SC.

The event takes place at the Handlebar Restaurant, 304 East Stone Ave., in Greenville. Get there in time for the buffet lunch ($13) and to network with everyone!

If you are in the Willow Grove, PA, area on Sunday you won't want to miss AU's Rob Boston. Rob is speaking on: "What I've Learned From the Religious Right" -- the presentation begins at 1:30 PM.

Rob Boston is senior policy analyst at Americans United, also serves as assistant editor of AU's "Church & State" magazine. He is the author of three books: "Close Encounters with the Religious Right," "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition" and "Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church and State." Rob has made numerous media appearances, among them Fox News Channel's "O'Reilly Factor," MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" and CNN's "Anderson Cooper."

This Saturday (Feb. 27) the Upstate South Carolina County Chapter is holding an event featuring Robert Moss and George Daly, starting at 12 Noon.

Robert Moss and his attorney George Daly will discuss their lawsuit which has reached the Federal Courts on allowing academic credit for Bible study in the state of South Carolina. Mr. Moss has a daughter that attends high school in Spartanburg, SC.

The event takes place at the Handlebar Restaurant, 304 East Stone Ave., in Greenville. Get there in time for the buffet lunch ($13) and to network with everyone!

If you are in the Willow Grove, PA, area on Sunday you won't want to miss AU's Rob Boston. Rob is speaking on: "What I've Learned From the Religious Right" -- the presentation begins at 1:30 PM.

Rob Boston is senior policy analyst at Americans United, also serves as assistant editor of AU's "Church & State" magazine. He is the author of three books: "Close Encounters with the Religious Right," "The Most Dangerous Man in America: Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition" and "Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church and State." Rob has made numerous media appearances, among them Fox News Channel's "O'Reilly Factor," MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" and CNN's "Anderson Cooper."